| Living \r\n the Quran |
Al-Shura \r\n (Mutual Consultation) Harvesting for the Hereafter \r\n
Both the seeker of the Hereafter and the seeker of the world have been \r\n likened to the farmer in this verse, who labours hard persistently right \r\n from the time he prepares the soil till the time his crop is ready for \r\n harvesting. He puts in all his labour so that he may reap and gather the \r\n crop of the seeds he sowed. But because of the difference of the intention \r\n and objective and also the difference of the attitude and conduct, to \r\n a large extent, a vast difference takes place between the farmer who sows \r\n for the Hereafter and the farmer who sows for this world. Therefore, Allah \r\n has ordained different results and consequences of the labours of each, \r\n although the place of activity of both is this very earth. \r\nAs to the farmer who is sowing for the Hereafter, Allah has not said \r\n that he will get no share from the world. The world, in a more or less \r\n measure, he will get in any case. For he also has a share in the common \r\n provisions being bestowed by Allah, and every person, good or bad, is \r\n getting his sustenance here. But Allah has not given him the good news \r\n of the harvest of this world. He has given him the good news that his \r\n harvest of the Hereafter will be increased, for he is a seeker of the \r\n hereafter, and is concerned about his end there. There are several ways \r\n in which this harvest can be increased; for example, as he goes on doing \r\n righteous deeds with sincere mentions, he is blessed with the grace to \r\n do more and more righteous deeds and his breast opens out for more and \r\n more good deeds. Above all, his good works, however small and insignificant, \r\n will at least be increased ten times over in the Hereafter, and there \r\n is no limit to this increase. Allah will increase it hundreds of thousands \r\n of times for whomever He may please. \r\nAs for the one who is only sowing for this world, and is not at all concerned \r\n about the Hereafter, Allah has plainly told him of two of the results \r\n of his labours: (1) That, however hard he may struggle and strive. he \r\n will not get the whole of what he is trying for, but only a fraction of \r\n it, which Allah has ordained for him; and (2) that whatever he gets, he \r\n will get only in this world: there is no share for him in the good things \r\n of the Hereafter. \r\nSource: |
| \r\n Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n Podiums \r\n of Light \r\nThe noble Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported \r\n to have said: ‘Around the Divine Throne, \r\n there are podiums of light. On them are people \r\n whose clothing is light and their countenances \r\n are light. They are neither Prophets nor martyrs. \r\n The Prophets and the martyrs are delighted with \r\n them.’ ‘Describe them to us, O Messenger \r\n of God,’ requested his Companions. The \r\n Prophet replied: ‘They \r\n are those who loved one another for the sake \r\n of God. They kept each other’s company \r\n for the sake of God and they visited one another \r\n for the sake of God.’ \r\nIndeed the noble Prophet made affection springing \r\n from the heart a basic requirement in discharging \r\n the duties of brotherhood, without which faith \r\n is incomplete. This affection is not a favour \r\n which one grants to another. All this is implicit \r\n in his saying: ‘No \r\n one of you has attained faith unless he loves \r\n for his brother what he loves for himself.’ \r\nThe great truths which the noble Messenger \r\n conveyed and on which he trained the firs generation \r\n of Muslims are the only bases on which our new \r\n societies can be erected. Without them, our \r\n path will never be straight. For, the Truth \r\n will remain the Truth and human souls will always \r\n be the same. \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n Source: |
| Blindspot! |
| \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n Two Important Sunan \r\n of Allah \r\nHasty enthusiastic Muslims usually overlook two important \r\n sunan, i.e. gradualism and that achieving goals requires the \r\n allowance of due time. \r\nFirst: Gradualism is clearly \r\n manifest in the process of creation as well as in legislation. \r\n Allah is able to create the heavens and the earth in less \r\n than the twinkling of an eye: \"Be, and it is\". Yet \r\n he created them in six of his days, i.e., in stages, known \r\n only to Him because they are different from our concept of \r\n \"day.\" Gradualism is also apparent in the creation \r\n of all living organisms which grow in stages until they reach \r\n maturity. The same process can also be seen in dawah, which \r\n began with the inculcation of monotheism to liberate minds \r\n from the confines of paganism and superstition. When that \r\n was firmly established, wajibat and muharramat \r\n were then gradually introduced, as in the case of salah, \r\n siyam, zakah, and the prohibition of alcohol, \r\n etc. And in this we see the difference between Makki \r\n and Madani texts. \r\nHence those who call for the return to the Islamic way of \r\n life and the establishment of the Islamic state must take \r\n into consideration the necessity of gradualism for the realization \r\n of their goals, taking into account the sublimity of the goal, \r\n their own means and potential, and the multiplicity of impediments. \r\n \r\nSecond: The second of these \r\n sunan is complementary to the first, i.e., everything has \r\n an appointed term during which it reaches ripeness and maturity. \r\n This applies to the material as well as the \r\n moral. Nothing should be harvested before its appointed time; \r\n crops cannot be harvested before they have ripened. Rather \r\n than being useful, unripe fruit and vegetables can cause harm. \r\n And just as crops need time-sometimes a long time-to mature, \r\n the true meanings and values of great actions become apparent \r\n only after many years. The longer actions take to mature, \r\n the greater they are. The endeavors of one generation often \r\n materialize in the following one, or even much later. There \r\n is indeed no harm in this if everything takes its planned \r\n natural course. \r\n \r\n \r\n Author: |
![](\"/_img/quran-issue339.gif\")